


The Gradual Descent

by Sirenswhisper



Series: Forbidden Desires [2]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: 5+1 Things, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-24
Updated: 2014-03-24
Packaged: 2018-01-16 21:10:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1361908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sirenswhisper/pseuds/Sirenswhisper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>5 moments in Treville and Richelieu's relationship and one moment after Richelieu's death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gradual Descent

1  
When Treville opened his eyes in the morning he found he had to slam them shut again straight away as the bright morning sun fell on them. He frowned, his bedroom was never lit with sunlight in the morning, it only got the sun's dying rays. He searched his mind to try and piece the night before together. He had been drinking with the cardinal for some reason, a stupid mistake, it always needed in drinking games between the two of them and that man could hold his alcohol. 

Finally his mind shamefully revealed where he was and what had happened, pure horror washed over him like lake water in the winter. He was in the cardinal's bed and they had-

No. He wouldn't think about it. The sooner he got out of there and to a church the better. He opened his eyes again glad that this time the light didn't hurt them. He sat up and swung his legs off the bed, a pleasant ache ran through his body and he gritted his teeth against the humiliation of it. 

An arm snaked around his waist and he was pulled back into the bed and held against the cardinal's chest. 

“I see you've forgotten our deal already.” The cardinal's voice was husky in his ear and the warm breath on the back of his neck made a shiver travel down his spine. 

“Deal?” He choked out as he racked his brain for the memory of any deal made the night before. 

“You lost and as punishment you're going to be my sex slave for a month.” Treville buried his face in the pillows in the hopes of suffocating himself, now he remembered the deal “Of course, you could always forfeit.” He could feel that foul smirk against the back of his neck. 

“No way. I'm not running through the streets of Paris naked.” 

“Well then you'll have to keep your side of the deal then won't you.” Treville closed his eyes are the cardinal's hands traced over his naked body until they settled on his hips. 

“I'm going to hell.” He muttered to himself as his body melted into the cardinal's touch without his permission. 

2  
“Why do always fight this? We both know you want this as much as I do.” Treville gulped at cardinal's words, all his promises to himself that he was never doing this again fell away once more. 

“It's wrong?” I should have been a statement, he had meant it to be anyway but instead it came out as a question. The cardinal only twisted his mouth into a smirk and guilt crept into Treville's mind as his gaze caught on the split lip he'd just given him. 

“It doesn't hurt as much as the black eye you gave me last time.” The cardinal said as he moved closer and placed a soft kiss on Treville's cheek bone. Treville's eyes slid shut and he wrapped his arms around the cardinal's shoulders. The cardinal slowly kissed down his cheek until Treville got impatient and pulled on his lover's head so that they kissed full on the mouth. 

“Don't tease me.” Treville said when they broke away. 

“Wouldn't dream of it.” The Cardinal replied as he started to undo the fastenings on their clothes. Treville removed his weapons before pulling the cardinal into a heated kiss. 

“I've missed this.” He breathed as they separated for air. 

“Then next time don't stay away for so long.” The cardinal placed a love bite on his shoulder and laughed at the glare he received when he pulled away. 

“How am I going to explain that?” 

“Whose going to see it?” When Treville didn't answer he carried on this time with his mouth pressed to Treville's ear. “I don't remember you complaining when I left such marks on your thighs.” It had the desired effect of making Treville shiver.

“I hate you.” The cardinal threw his head back laughing. 

3  
The cardinal opened his eyes and met Treville's gaze only for him to look away immediately. 

“Water.” He grunted out of his raw throat and Treville placed the glass to his lips and helped him drink with the care that told the cardinal without words that he'd been worried. He watched as Treville set the glass on the table beside the bed and then got to his feet as if to leave. 

“Your still mad at me.” The cardinal said as he caught Treville's hand and pulled him back on the bed. 

“I'm always mad at you.” Treville said and although he didn't fight his hold, he also refused to look at him. “I'm just more mad than usual. Do you do these things to anger me or is it just an added bonus?” 

“Everything I do is for the good of France, the effect it has on you is just a reward for all my hard work.” With his finger tips he traced the inside of Treville's wrist where he knew the man was ticklish., it had the desired effect of making the man look at him. 

“Why-” He stopped and tried to pull his hand away as the cardinal's fingers travelled further up his inside arm where he was even more ticklish. He wasn't pulling very hard, as the cardinal was well aware that if he truly wanted he could have gotten away with easy. “Stop that or poisoned or not I will hurt you.” He was pretty sure Treville was lying but he let his fingers return to his wrist to trace the invisible patterns. “Why are you accusing Ninon De Larroque of witchcraft? I don't see how her death will benefit France.” 

“Her money will pay for a new navy.” Treville pulled away sharply and walked halfway to the door before he stopped.

“And that's enough to end the life of an innocent woman?” The words were angry but his voice was pained and choked. 

“Look at me.” The cardinal commanded gently, the urge to comfort his lover was to great to ignore. Treville had come to mean more to him than he ever thought anyone could, it just wasn't something he wanted to admit even to himself. There was no reason to destroy his perfectly good reputation as a cold, heartless man who caused pain and suffering because he enjoyed it.

“How can I when you're a monster?” He'd got a handle on himself again so that the pain had been replaced with cold anger. The sound of it filled him with dread, Treville's anger was usually so full of passion. The word laced with this contained angry filled him with fear in a way shouting never had. A comment about how sensitive Treville was being came into his mind but where it would normally be brushed off he felt it would push Treville into leaving forever. And that was something he couldn't allow.

“Perhaps you keep me human.” He was almost surprised by his own words. Treville turned around but didn't move any closer. 

“I'm clearly not doing a very good job then am I.” He wanted to pull him close but to come to him would be an act of forgiveness and he doubted Treville was ready for that. Treville looked away as if the sight at him was too painful, no painful wasn't right, sickening or distasteful matched the look in his eyes more. “If I begged you not to kill her, would you do it?” He met his eyes for a moment. “That's what I thought.” He whispers as if to himself and left the room. 

The cardinal was given the uncomfortable feeling that he'd made a mistake, it was not a feeling he was used to. It was the look in those blue eyes that haunted him when Athos begged him to spare Ninon De Larroque that made him commute the sentence. The fierce kiss he had received from Treville when he found out more than made up for the hastle of the decision. 

4  
Treville woke shaking from a recurring nightmare to find Richelieu's warm, strong arms holding him. This breath was shaky as he opened his eyes and turned to his head to look into his lover's face. 

“Did I wake you?” His voice was hoarse and his throat felt sore. 

“I was just about to come to bed.” Richelieu told him the softest smile he had ever seen on the man's face. 

“That's a shame, I'm not going to be able to sleep after that.” He made as if to get off the bed but he moved slowly and caught his lover's eye. 

“And so you mean for me not to either.”

“You wouldn't want me to get lonely.” Treville smiled as he pulled Richelieu into a kiss. It started off chaste but he soon opened his mouth under Richelieu's demands. He pushed Richelieu back so that the were stretched out across the bed. As they pulled away for air and he bit back a moan in pleasure at Richelieu's possessive grip on his hip which he knew from experience would bruise. 

He was just about to pull him in for another kiss when he heard something and froze. 

“What is it?” Richelieu asked as he felt his lover's body tense. 

“I thought I heard shots.” He barely allowed himself to breath as he listened. 

“Are you sure-” He was cut off by Treville's hand on his mouth. 

“He's heading for the cardinal's chambers.” Aramis's voice could be heard from down the corridor. Treville jumped off the bed, grabbed his clothes and weapons and went behind the screen where he couldn't be seen from the doorway. Richelieu also got off the bed and moved to the window on the other side of the room. He heard Treville cock his pistol, the line of sight couldn't be every good and he hoped he wouldn't miss. 

There was the sounds of a key in the lock which made Richelieu frown, there were only a few people who had the key to his personal chamber and one of them was in here with him. He'd have to look into it in the morning. 

The intruder burst in pistol in hand, he stopped at the sight of the cardinal and took aim. A shot went off and at first Richelieu feared he's been hit but he was relieved to find there was no pain. The assassin lay on the floor clutching his right arm, face contorted with pain. Treville's aim had been perfect even on the tricky angle. 

Richelieu walked forward and kicked the pistol out of the man's reach just as Aramis, closely followed by Porthos and Athos enter the room at a run. 

“Take him away for questioning.” Athos could be heard saying, he watched as Armais and Porthos removed the man from the room. It wasn't until they were out of sight that he spoke.   
“He incapacitated your red guards. It was lucky were not alone tonight.” With that he turned, set the key on the table near the door and left. 

Treville didn't move until Richelieu had closed and locked the door, then he got to his feet and colapsed onto the bed. 

“He knows.” He whispered to himself, dread curling in his stomach. Richelieu moved to join him on the bed not bothered by the blood splatters on the floor. 

“I am aware.” He stated and rested against the headboard and extended a hand to Treville who took it and allowed himself to be pulled up next to his lover. “He has know about us for sometime I believe.” 

“What?” Treville's eyes looked as if they wanted to escape his head they were so wide. 

“I seems he walked in on us without us realising. He came to see me about it after.” A look of distaste crossed his features. 

“You don't like him.” He had meant for it to be a question but it turned its self into a statement. Richelieu opened his mouth to answer before closing it again. He stared ahead for a while as he tried to think of the right thing to say. The truth was that he knew Athos's feelings for Treville and if he chose to he had no doubt that Athos could take Treville from him. But to say these things out loud would reveal things he didn't want Treville to know. 

“Shall we carry on from where we left off?” Before Treville could answer he pulled him close and cut off anything he might have wanted to say by devouring his mouth. Treville allowed Richelieu to again have him completely. He wished that morning would never come. 

5  
“Care to explain.” Treville groaned but didn't open his eyes as Richelieu walked into the room, his voice was dripping barely concealed anger. 

“Can we talk about this at another time?” He bit out not wanting to be in his lover's presence, not when the bitter taste of his betrayal was still in his mouth. 

“You shot me.” Treville could hear him crossing the room but it wasn't until he felt a hand on his neck that he opened his eyes. There was a calculating rage behind his eyes as he pushed Treville against the wall, it made his breathing speed up in fear. He'd never seen Richelieu like this and he had no weapons to defend himself. 

“Shot at you.” He corrected, he felt it was important to point out that Richelieu wasn't actually injured. “Don't deny you deserved it. You had me kidnapped!” The last part he shouted and raised his arms so that the rope burns on his wrists could be seen. 

“I did that to protect you!” Richelieu shouted back, his hand tightened around Treville's throat cutting off his air. Treville kicked him and Richelieu staggered backwards, letting go of Treville's neck in the process. 

“Protect me? How was that protecting me? I don't need protecting. If I did I wouldn't be any good at my job, which in case you have forgotten is to protect the king.” He walked away from the wall in case Richelieu wanted to shove him against it again. 

“The king was perfectly safe, it was you they were after.” Richelieu's voice was that of someone talking to a stupid child. It made Treville's fists clench with the urge to punch the man. 

“I'm aware of that, you sent them!” He felt as if he was going round in circles. “I just don't understand why?” He cursed himself internally for allowing the pain and betrayal to enter his voice. He couldn't bare it any longer, couldn't bare to look at the man that he hated to admit that he was more than a little in love with. Instead he left the room with a determined stride, he walked up the stairs and into his bedroom. It was a room free from memories of Richelieu. His eyes felt moist but he clenched his teeth and laid back on the bed. 

He hoped Richelieu would just leave but it seemed luck was not on his side as the man quietly entered the room. 

“Let me explain.” The voice was devoid of emotion and all Treville could do was nod. “I was alerted to a plot to kill you, so I arranged for you to be moved out of the way while your musketeers dealt with them.” Treville gave a choked laugh. 

“That's the thing with you isn't it? You always manage to twist things so that it sounds reasonable.” He stood and advanced on his lover until they were face to face. “But I wasn't just 'moved' I was knocked out, tied up and thrown in the back of a carriage by a group of criminals who would quite liked to kill me!” 

“I promise, you were in no danger.” Treville opened his mouth to voice his outrage when he's mouth was claimed in a fierce kiss which tried to steal his breath. He shoved Richelieu away from him, not ready to forgive the man just yet. 

“You should leave, before I do something I'll regret.” 

“You do overreact.” Richelieu sighed and sat on the bed as if to wait Treville out. It was too much and before he realised what he was doing he punched Richelieu in the face. He stared as he cupped his nose, he hadn't meant to do that. 

“Nothing broken.” Richelieu said as he moved his hand away, there was blood on both his hand and upper lip and guilt lodged its self in Treville. “Feel better?” Richelieu asked as he grabbed Treville's hand and pulled him into his lap. He hadn't meant to go but he found himself clinging to his lover as if on instinct. 

“I still haven't forgiven you.” He whispered into his ear. 

+1  
Treville couldn't take his eyes off his lover's grave although he was aware there were other people there also. Instead he concentrated on keeping his emotions in check. Getting the king safely back to Paris had focused his mind allowing him not to think about Richelieu but he wouldn't last much longer. 

He kept his posture that of a proud soldier and waited the appropriate amount of time before he could leave. As soon as he could he turned, ready to walk away only to be stopped by the sound of the king's voice. 

“Captain Treville.” The sound of his name tore through his silent, grieving mind and he slowly turned his body to face the king. 

“Your majesty.” His voice came out in a pained whisper but he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. He had been dreading this conversation but he knew it would have to come eventually. 

“You will be glad to know that I have no intention of telling anyone what I witness between you and the cardinal on the day he died but I must ask for your sake that you be careful. I doubt I need to tell you just how dangerous it would be for you if someone were to find out you were in a relationship of that kind. If that were to happen I would not be able to protect you.” The king spoke in a quiet tone so that only Treville could hear him. 

Treville could only nod at the kings words and had to bite back a sigh of relief when the king walked away. 

Images of Richelieu filled his mind as he walked home. He only just managed to get to his kitchen table when the memories of his lover finally broke the banks of his mind and he found himself sobbing almost uncontrollably. The pain and grief and guilt he had kept inside for so long poured out and once it started it wouldn't stop. 

He had had Richelieu to turn to for so long that he now had no idea what he would do without him. He was more lost and alone than he had ever been before. 

He stood shakily and search his cupboards for alcohol and cursed when he found only half a bottle of wine. It would have to do, he brought the bottle to his lips not having no reason to use a glass. In the back of him mind a voice that sounded like Richelieu's scolded him for his lack to manners. 

He was barely able to swallow the mouthful of wine before a choked sob tore itself from his throat and he sank to the floor slowly. He still couldn't get used to the fact that his lover was dead, he half expected him to walk in at that moment and tell him to pick himself off the floor and stop being so bloody sensitive. 

Every breath was a sob and every heart beat caused an ache in his chest as if his ribs were broken and as he closed his eyes he wished he'd died that day instead of Richelieu.


End file.
